oldest fiberglass boat made?
Owens-Corning had been experimenting with fiberglass cloth and resin combinations to create structural elements for airplanes. By 1942, the company was turning out fiberglass and polyester airplane parts for the war effort. In Toledo, Ray Greene, who had studied plastics while a student at Ohio State, had been working with Owens-Corning on fiberglass composites. He had made composite boats as early as 1937, but was searching for just the right plastic to use for boats. He received a shipment of the polyester resin in 1942 and produced a daysailer. Others followed suit. Dan says, B.B. Swan made a small fiberglass catboat in1947. Carl Beetle built fiberglass boats at a GE plant in Pittsfield, Mass. He exhibited his fiberglass boat at a show in January 1947. The first sailing auxiliary made from fiberglass appeared in 1951. It was called the Arion, a 42-foot ketch. states Spurr. It was a one-off design by Sidney Herreshoff. Then Fred Coleman's Bounty II came out in 1956. More information is at the link below:
Capt. John always has good info. I would only like to add that Richard Hill designed and built the Crescent Sloop in Detroit in 1953. We believe this is the first one design keel boat built in fiberglass (polyester). 27 were built between '53 and the early 70's. We still have an active fleet racing. I proudly own Crescent # 10 ('58), the oldest active Crescent. I therefor think I may have the oldest active fiberglass racing sloop in the world! Still winning a few races to.
